Just like that!

Just like that, my trip to Austria ends and I am hit with responsibility back in the States.  Pair that with disorienting jet lag, pictures to download, a trip to process and a bum knee to get checked out, one can imagine why writing here isn't the top priority - though perhaps the healthy one!

The last days of my time in Tirol were just stunning!  More beautiful weather, a church retreat and just oodles of time with friends.  It was literally as if I had never left all of those years ago.  Innsbruck will be my vacation spot in years to come.  I found that it was so easy to get there.  I mean, when I left for Innsbruck the first time, it felt pretty laborious... I was moving physically, emotionally and mentally for a whole year. There was a new language, transportation system, city, and culture. It just seemed like a big task and it was!  All I had to do this time around was pack a bag (full of way too much stuff!) and hop on a plane for a few hours. Yes, some have vacation homes on a lake... my vacation home is in the Austrian Alps with some very dear souls :)

A lot of people have asked me what the highlight of my trip was... It's hard to pick just one experience since they were all so special and varied.  Each could have been my favorite in a different category.  However, a big highlight for me was being able to share a story of God's provision in prayer with the Baptist Church at a retreat, speaking in German!  I was completely terrified by nerves, but I knew that I wouldn't have this opportunity often so I challenged myself to share in German.  There were about 80 native German speakers in front of me as I got up to share about what God had done.  As soon as I got up there, I knew I was among friends and family.  They had to shout out a few words (in unison even!) when I was a little stuck, but honestly, to be able to share in a language of another truly left me... well, speechless, I guess. Language is such a connector!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from my travels.  I hope to write more soon about some family history, life in my now, and the next big adventure for this lady!

On top of the Hafelekarspitze 2234 m

Julia, Lydia and me

In the old city of Innsbruck

On a hike above Rum with Julie

With Judith in Munich

Halltal

Yesterday, I was up on the top of a mountain (2200 m) via cable car.  Today, I was at 1500 m with my feet... and my good friend, Christoph!  We began at about 8a.m. this morning in Absam, maybe 700 m.  As we entered the valley opening to Hall in Tirol, it looked and felt like spring.  The flowers were in blume, the air smelled warm, the trees and everything was alive with energy.  We continued up along the way and as my energy ended quickly, we had to stop for some little breaks.  St. Magdalena was one place we sat and enjoyed the aussicht (view). 
Just above St. Magdalena, we began trudging through snow, and it smelled like fall/winter... the air was cooler too.  The Weißenbach (the creek I "bought" last time I was here becuase I loved it so much!) was running really fast down into Hall/Mils.  There was SO much snow in Tirol this winter, and a lot of it is still there in the upper parts of this valley.

We reached the Herrenhäuser (1500 m) and I was ready for a long break.  It was pretty cool that even though I was tired, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and then it got easier.  I guess I got my second wind or something.  The Herrenhäuser was a hotel/restuarant that has been closed about 12 years because an avalanche destroyed part of the hotel.  Because it has historical significance when the salt was mined in the valley, there is no possibility to rebuild it.  There is also not really a road that would support all of the machines needed to repair or rebuild... so, there we sat, by the old and dilapidated Herrenhäuser and enjoyed the most wonderful view of the whole valley.


After a bit, we "skied" down the snow with our feet and then walked a long way before we hitched a ride with a government vehicle to get us back down to Absam.  That little hitch hike cut about 1 hour off of our hike.  SWEET deal!  My feet are truly grateful!

Tonight: The Avengers in English!!

Daily.

Normal, daily life has kind of set in here in Tyrol.  I have one or two people that I meet each day.  Today, I am meeting one of the youth (now all grown up and married!) that I knew well when I was here.  In the evening, I will go to the family that I lived with when I was au-pairing.  It will be a sweet reunion, as I am sure that all of the boys have grown so much!


Tomorrow, I will get to ride up the mountain I lived on in a cable car... For all of those months that I saw people going up beside my house, I never had a desire to go up there.  But, this year, I do.  So, my friend from Luxembourg and I will go up to see the Inntal in all of its glory!  I also hope to make it to a special forest tomorrow with Fabian.  It is the National Holiday tomorrow so many people have off.  These next few days will be rather full of meetings, a BBQ, a movie perhaps, and lots of friends.

This update is nothing super special, but I just wanted to let you know what I have been up to.  I have been so enjoying the language and culture again.  I think this might have to be an annual visit in the coming years!  More stories to come!  And hopefully pictures too!

Transplanted from Tyrol

Greetings out of Tirol!

I arrived yesterday in the early afternoon, but I don't remember much about yesterday except for the two Austrian meals I was fed and the wobbly bike I was put on!  Talk about an adventure... it felt like it was going to fall apart at any moment, but it was just a warpped wheel or two.  It will get me around town for sure.

After 15 hours of sleep, I woke up to the most beautiful view...



This is the view I am seeing right now from my computer!  The Bettelwurf in all of his glory.

It is rather strange to me that this does not feel like a vacation to be here... it feels like home... or like, just another day in Tirol.  I do not feel a rush to go out and see a bunch of things or anything... I just like to relax on the veranda, see the mountains and enjoy breakfast (or as it is, lunch!).  I will go out later to meet a friend or two, but I don't see my time here as limited... it is simply a stop of many stops in my life as a transplanted Tyrolean!

The Refills

I didn’t realize that going to the TX Roadhouse would be such a cultural experience for Fabian.  I forgot that there are no free refills on drinks in Austria… and no ice in most drinks.  We each ordered a Coke and they came in large cups half full of ice.  We slurped at them while we ate our deliciously huge steaks.  It was a good reward for all of the driving we'd done that day (correction: driving he'd done that day).  As our drinks emptied, our waitress came back and asked if we wanted refills.  I just nodded like we both would, forgetting about the culture difference.  She came back with two big glasses of Coke again.  Fabi's jaw was on the ground.  You mean, we get a whole nother one? for free?  I can't drink this!... I assured him that it was okay if we didn't finish them, they were free.  Oh, this was not okay!  He wasn't about to waste it. He attempted.  He gave it the ol' college try.... and he totally lost.  Even while the ice deceived us as to the actual amount of pop in the glass, neither of us could finish.  The dejected look on Fabi's face made me wish we'd just gotten one refill.  Dang it.  And, it needs to be said, mostly because it was the only thing I ever beat him legitimately at, I drank more of my refill than he did!

The Coke he couldn't finish...

The Craft Mobile!

Being with Amber always means adventure, and most of the time, epic adventure.  Epic is Amber's middle name.  She can make microwaving a burrito epic. It’s just the way she sees things.  It’s one of the many reasons I crave spending time with her.  This weekend, we decided to hold the first tri-annual (or quarterly – we aren’t sure yet) “crafting weekend”… it’s still up for debate whether we will actually craft at every one of them, but we thought we’d start it off with a bang… a trip to JoAnn Fabrics.  We almost didn’t make it out actually.  We almost spent our whole weekend in the store, standing over our cart, admiring fabric and dreaming about what it could become with the right amount of stitching and patience.  We pulled ourselves away after several pep talks.

We had two main projects: A make-up bag and some placemats.  We sewed for about 10 hours, with a short break for pizza dinner.  Have a look…

We used a pattern from a German woman.

This is Amber's bag because it has chutzpah.

We now have matching AWESOME place mats!

 

We came, we saw, we crafted!

Our other goal was to eat food out of Amber's beautiful garden that Fabi and I helped plant this past May... and, well, we failed miserably.... but we had great burgers at the Big Star Drive In... and pizza delivered by Papa Johns (yummy garlic butter sauce!)  Here are the before and after pictures from her garden...

Before in May

After in August

 Impressed?  I was.  Amber grows a garden in an epic  way!

Summer Days

The days don't get much better than this weekend!  It's treating myself to a cold Starbucks drink, opening the sunroof on my dad's car and listening to my new summery music loudly as I drive through town, the wind swirling about me.  You couldn't wipe the smile off of my face! 

Today was a treat, just how summer, and the 4th of July should be.   I met Amber in town for what promised to be an adventure of epic proportions, no matter what we actually decided to do!  Amber can make microwaving a burrito into an epic adventure!  So, just before we set off on a somewhat lengthy bike trip around Point, with various stops along the way, we decide to give Olson one last chance to hang out with the most delightful women around.  He picks up his phone finally!  Belt's.  Now, you all know that I am a pretty religious ice cream eater... and most of you probably know that I don't consider soft serve actual ice cream... but I go to Belt's on special occasions, when those I am with are not so enlightened. Today was one of those days.  

The three of us caught up quickly and easily, as we always do.  Are you ever with people who you've known forever and even though you feel like you've changed somewhat, they still know exactly what you'll think or say about something?  Those are these friends.... special and deep friends.  Friends I thank God daily for.   

We headed for the river in hopes of finding some great trees for slacklining (Wiki it if you wanna know more.) and fields for frisbee.  The perfect temperature.  The perfect amount of breeze.  The perfect absence in the ability to text (Thanks Element Mobile!).  The perfect company.  Oh, this was a glorious day!  We talked and laughed and I did a pretty good digger as the line flung me off of it. Hilarious.  We missed our NYC contingent for sure!  We left some holes in our pictures for you two!

Jeremy left to begin his actual epic adventure of a year of clinicals in this 3rd year of med school. Fun!  Amber and I biked over and dropped in on Ann and Lee, who just happened to be sitting down to dinner, which they had cooked extra of, which was providential.... score for Amber and me! :)   Their porch is perfect for evening sun, laughter, good food and more special friends.  Could you ask for anything more?

Arriving back at the Perri-base after biking through Point as it said goodbye to the mid-summer holiday weekend, we found ourselves being offered more food and fellowship-y fun.  You just can't beat the cook outs and parties of summer, can you?

It was the perfect day.   And I am perfectly exhausted after this weekend.

Next post will include all of the highlights of SFOOG 2011: We're Back and Better than Ever!  (Our 3rd annual Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games.)  Pictures too!

Memorial Day Pictures

** All Photos in this post are taken by Ann Davidson of Ann Davidson Photography. She has a passion for photography.  She is bookable for weddings, portraits, family events, etc.   Let me hear about how talented she is! **

The three of us, ready to pile into Ann's car.

Pewitt's Nest (outside of Baraboo) is worth your time!

And the token "jumping picture" in fields of green.

Memorial. Day. Adventures.

In an attempt to suck up as much "now" as possible and not freak out about the upcoming "now," I pumped myself up for a Memorial Day ride to remember.  It was time for the 2nd Annual Country Drive-While-Avoiding-All-4-Lane-Or-Busy-2-Lane-Roads Road Trip with Lee and Ann!  There is something just magical about not having any place to be, a tank full of gas, a bottle of Coke (without all that high fructose syrup) and a well-used gazetteer... just sitting three to a front seat and enjoying the day!

We drove south from Amherst on Cty A in search of the "secret road." Apparently, 15th Ave is probably known only to people who live on it and those in love with their gazetteer.  It was revelicious!  The trees hung over the road, hills, curves and all = perfect!  People in Dakota love to wave.  We felt welcome, friends!  We made our way to Montello (pronounced: Mon-TAY-yo) and stopped for some stretching (three people in the front seat is both a blessing and a curse, folks!).  Turns out, there is a granite quarry there  that the granite for Grant's tomb was extracted from.  Remember that for Trivial Pursuit: US Presidents Edition! 

Our general goal was to make it to the Baraboo area for some "natural area exploration." I think it's a bit ridiculous that we have to label our "natural areas" so that we don't end up putting a highway or gas station up on accident there!  Anyway, Abelman's Gorge was slightly over-rated, although this may have been fed by our fright in hearing that a bear had been sighted on the trail just last week.  We were all a little behind on our bear handling skill courses!  Pewitt's Nest (Hwy W west out of Baraboo) was just what we were looking for!  It was a gorgeous gorge!  Shady, beautiful river, stunning structures, and some good light hiking (let's not get carried away - it's a holiday, remember!).   It was definitely a place to which I would and will return!

We headed down to Merrimac and with all our hearts, wanted to ride the free river ferry, but the line was too long and unlike what my opening paragraph suggests, we did have a place to be... so we forwent (word?) that adventure.  Merrimac is magical.  We'd like to come back.

At the end of it all: 268 miles. Tons of gorgeous gorges.  Thoughtful conversation. Sweat. A couple of walking sticks.  A few pictures.  Awesome roads. A knowledgeable navigator. A faithful friend. An attentive driver (well, we did almost throw up all over each other toward the end!). Sun.  And all around bliss.  It was all it was cracked up to be!

Pictures may follow... eventually...

A Social Experiment.

I stepped back in time for a day at the Berntsen Libray last Thursday.  Well, it was present day - new students, new inside jokes (that i'm outside of!), etc... - but being there brings back so many memories!  Mini-golf behind the circulation desk, scooter races, ridiculous requests from faculty... oh, it was good times.

This time, at the libes, it was a social experiment with Pegs.  It hatched out of a large lunch at the mid-town global market.  We sat in Becky's office with our "food baby bellies" and reminisced about the poems we'd written at the library, the concerned customer letters from deceased alumni, the hilarious proposals to supposedly streamline the circulation process.  And, lo and behold, a new scheme... what would people say to a pregnant woman wandering amongst the stacks of the main collection?  At a smallish private Christian college?! Let's try it. By the way, Peggy will make an adorable pregnant woman someday! (She even had the "waddle" down!)  The original plan was to convince one of our old co-workers of her pregnancy, but we got a lot of other great data in the process.  People stared, smiled, did double takes at Peg as we walked about the library.  I don't recognize that girl... oh look, she's pregnant.

How we all giggled and snickered in the confines of Becky's office after those walks!!  And then, we had good conversations about "judgment" and "disappointment."  Is "being disappointed" in someone's behavior a nice way to say that you are "judging" them?

Birthday Week

Monday: Receive 50+ birthday greetings on a day that is not my birthday. I also threw some ice off my roof in a garbage dumpster, like Tom Cavanagh (who was actually born on Monday) did in the hit TV series, Ed (NBC).

Tuesday: Nurse my hurting arm from throwing ice into a garbage dumpster. I felt the sun for the first time in days. Summary of the rest of my day in 11 words: Johnny Depp Chai Good Convos A Long Walk Flashbacks of Austria.

Wednesday: Hasn't happened yet, but anticipated highlights include: Tea with Anna, some solid Greek reading and Hebrew grammar, and a game of Boggle.

Thursday - Tuesday (the actual birthday!): Undecided but anticipated. Ideas welcome.

A New Experience

Do you remember what it was like the first time you saw Brett Favre in purple instead of green? For me, it kinda felt like the Twilight Zone (or an SNL spoof)... like he was going to rip off that Vikings uniform mid-play and become a packer again. Well, I met with a similar experience last night as I entered the *Johnson's house. The fixed structures looked the same. Counters, stairs, the table, but oh... there was a dog and cluttered counters. I have been to the Johnson's many times before and have always enjoyed being able to let myself in and grab something to drink. An unfamiliar small child (a not wholly uncommon sight) poked his head around the corner and then yelled up the stairs that someone was here. The woman that came down was not Mrs. Johnson. Indeed, she was a complete stranger. I had left myself in, unannounced and uninvited, to a total stranger's home. She politely informed me that the Johnson's had moved and gave me their new location. AWKWARD.

This whole experience was so ridiculous that I thought perhaps it was all some sort of joke - that my friends would jump out from somewhere and laugh at my guilibility. They laughed alright - and loudly - but that was in their new home several blocks away. I am glad to be able to provide some much entertainment. On the other front, I have no idea who to cheer for this fall. I was a loyal Viking fan, but cannot cheer for such a willy-nilly "gotta be in the sports news" guy. So, Packers? That seems wrong too. I might wander aimlessly into other teams' cheering sections, as I do homes.

* I changed the name to add an element of mystery :o)

Perfect Couple.

What an utter joy it was to be at Luke and Kelsey's wedding this weekend! It was a perfect nearly spring day, with bright sunshine and warm temperatures. I got to wear a new, fun dress and $7.00 black heels, but enough about that.

Lukey and Kelsey pledged their love and commitment to one another on Saturday. It simply amazes me to see the power of love, to see them giving their lives for the other. This deep love and care breeds commitment, life-long. It reminds me how much I desire this love someday, but also about how much of a coward I am to enter into it, not to mention my unpreparedness! In any event, it is so wonderful to see... refreshing.

I've known Luke since the awkward "bowl-cut" days. He is one of my best friends. I've just met Kelsey this year, but it feels like she grew up with us too! She makes Luke so happy. It was delightful to see him beam as she came down the aisle. She was a beautiful bride.

A few of the highlights: Steve and Jeremy singing "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz at the ceremony. Sitting with the Perris and Handlers for dinner. Dancing my legs off. Seeing the men of Woodlands following Jeremy's dance instructions. Hugging the newlyweds goodbye and wishing them FUN in Breckenridge. Transfering wedding gifts for the 2nd of us in the Quad to get married. Drifiting off to sleep with a little grin on my face for the perfect couple.

It was all just priceless.

His First Day in Heaven

The sky is so blue in this arctic freezer. My clothes make no effort to stop the frigidness from stabbing my body ruthlessly and forever. It makes me feel alive, though painfully. The heat in my car, though new, only makes it feel like a drafty hunting shack. Even the sun looks like it has a layer of ice surrounding it.

The first time I've ever read Jack refer to his father as "dad." Dad has moved on to a place where he can see Jesus face to face. My mind cannot fathom what it is like to lose your best friend of so many years. I did not get to meet Guil, although I feel like I know him - the parts of him that Jack has inherited and become.

There is sadness, knowing that you won't be able to talk about the latest race or revel in the newest soaring stock. He won't be participating in any more coffee clutches. There are so many memories to wade through. The small things, you'll miss. There is stress and exhaustion, thinking about all that must go into grieving and planning for life after dad. eventually. How will mother cope? How will you? But woven through each of these layers is vibrant joy, like sunshine -- Dad did not waste his life! He spent it on the One... And there is more joy, for he is with Him now! He can see Jesus face to face.

It is odd today. Odd for us, but even more odd for him... His first day in Heaven. ... I think I have the wrong size wings. ... When's lunch? ... Whoa, look at all those stars down there! He can see, think and move more clearly than he ever has before. He is not hindered by sin. What joy there is in this day!! He is fully alive, though for us, it is painful.

oh medical release forms.

This weekend we found our way to Fridley, MN for the 2nd quiz trip of the year. It was my first trip fully in charge, toting the medical release forms for my 9 quizzers. As I packed my bag for the trip, I thought to myself, I'd really like to bring this delicious book [My Name is Asher Lev], but will I really ever have time to read it? I remembered this book, sitting on my bed, as I sat in the emergency room clutching a medical form that I didn't ever want to need.

The quiz morning started out normal enough - except that we were early to the quiz for the first time in history. I registered and found my other Wisconsin coach friends and quiz masters. The morning was full of grueling quizzing. These MN teams are just good! And then, just after lunch, the trajectory of my trip altered drastically as Scott said that Josh had been injured. My focus was no longer on quizzing or the after-party, but on Josh.

I found him in a heap at the bottom of the staircase with Ryan, Danny and Scott hovering about him. His right arm was bent in the wrong places and swelling up fast. Thankfully, Judy and Gary arrived moments later and had more sanity to direct the situation. Plans were made to get Josh to help and keep an eye on the eight others that were roaming around.

Check in. Triage. What's your date of birth? Where are you hurt [duh!]? Please wait. Gee, can we get this guy something for the pain? Are you his mother? [holy cow, do i look that old?!] He'll see the doctor now? What happened? Where are you hurt [double duh!]? I'll be right back. jokes lighten the mood. What am I going to do? Wait. Drugs. Call to cancel. Call to reinstate. Call to update. Wait.

Why didn't I bring Asher to get my mind off of this? Wait. I'm so glad you are here Judy. X-rays. Timetable? Wait. You are doing great Josh. more paperwork. Sign here. Do you consent? Quizzing? Oh yeah, we came to quiz. Wait. Wait alone now.

Where is Asher? Who can I call? Wait. Josh is awake again, after reduction. Joy. Surgery may come, but the pain is lessened. We'll get your prescription. Wait, but not alone. Listen. Take notes on care. Elevate. Ice. Get the swelling down. Move your sausage-y fingers. Got the prescription. Good. Gone.

We reunited with the team and got on our way much later than expected. Thankfully, God kept us safe and awake through the drive. I am amazed at how much God gives... even when I forget to ask. We are home safe and Josh is with his family. Oh, I am thankful. so thankful. I am thankful that God is in control and gives strength for all things. I'm thankful for Judy, Gary and the Heitzmans. I'm thankful to be able to type and write and have the capacity to play a trumpet [though not the skill]. I'm thankful for doctors and mothers. I am especially thankful for morphine [not for me!]. Some bright spots: I am one of very few who now knows Josh's middle name and who has seen inside his stomach [via ultrasound]. Yes, we have bonded over a broken arm.

Be well Josh.

Birthdays Birthdays

There have been lots of great memories of this day and celebrations of this day – the day God brought me into this world. And as each one comes and goes and I reflect on them, I become more and more thankful for God’s good provision for me… of family and friends from so many cultures and stages of life. I am truly thankful for all of you.

Some birthday memories:

1991 – The overnight blizzard on Halloween and none of my sleepover guests had boots. I have clear images still in my mind of my daddy carrying my tennis-shoed friends to our station wagon to bring them home after the party.

1993 – What? I’m getting a brother? Yes, I got a really cool bday present exactly TWO weeks after my day.

1994 – My daddy took me to Chicago [we flew from Bemidji , MN ] for a long weekend.

1999 – Sweet 16 – first boy-girl party. Sixteen Candles was my favorite song for weeks.

2003 – First birthday away from home. My cousin KayLynn brought me a huge cake and balloons at NWC and my parents sent me flowers.

2004 – I heard my name over the loud speaker at Sentry Insurance to call security [dream fulfilled] and they wished me a happy birthday. The next day, I forgot my security badge and when I called them to let me in, they were convinced I had forgotten it because I was out carousing on my 21^st birthday.

2006 – My au-pair family threw me a fancy 4-course dinner party. It was my first birthday party where one of the only things I understood was when they sang me Happy Birthday in English. The cards and emails I received from the States were completely overwhelming!

2007 – I organized a photo scavenger hunt in the old city section of Innsbruck for my Austrian friends. The memories made there were so sweet! On the night of my birthday, I attended my first Austrian Ball. I thought I was dreaming.

2008 – Well, I had an “un-birthday” celebration at Riverside this summer when Maria took my joke about July 23 being my birthday seriously. We had “un-birthday cookies” and they sang me “Happy un-birthday.”

On my real birthday this year, I just turned a ¼ century. That’s kind of monumental. Mama bought me a gigantic warm cookie and milk to dunk it in for lunch [dessert.] And the State of WI and the city of Stevens Point decided to unveil one of the most critical exit ramps in the city along I-39 just for the special day. I do feel appreciated.

a few of my dear friends.

Kristin - you are brave and counselor-like ;o)

Mandy - you are diligently relational. And well, cuter than you are big ;o)

Jack - you are committed to my meeting your high expectations for me. :o)

and Peggy [we didn't get a pic!] - you are amazingly great at cribbage!!

Maybe not tomorrow.

I was able to spend the weekend with dear friends from college this past weekend. We caught up and laughed and played cribbage and fought and prayed. And something struck me as all of this was happening: I began to see again how faithful God is to act in our lives.

Prayers that we've prayed for ourselves and others are being answered in power by God. People are coming into relationship with Him. Ministries are growing and churches are reaching out into the world. God's Word is going forth into the valleys of western Austria, spoken from courageous men and women there. I am incredibly encouraged.

Yet also, families are falling apart, boyfriends are confusing and non-responsive, parties are awkward and make us feel like freaks. We oversleep through church. Life keeps coming at us in discouraging ways. Our weaknesses keep visiting us.

And for me, it's easy to focus on the discouragements more than the encouragements, making my faith in my Faithful God dwindle. Add to that the fact that movies portray months and years of life within 1.5 short hours. I see pain and then relief come almost instantaneously, assuring me that my "real-time" life must be failing miserably at making progress at any rate!

But, oh, how sweet is God's gracious help here... to remind me of his faithfulness. Some of my desires and prayers may not be answered until I'm 50. Or 73. God will give patience. Some friends will find Jesus because of my witness. God will have been the Light shining from me. Families can be refortified in any season - it must not be right now, though I'd like to bypass the pain sometimes. In the midst of all this, I [read: we] can be assured that God hears our prayers and knows our hearts. He will answer, just maybe not tomorrow.

I'd still like to praise Him today.

Concerts, Opening Ceremonies and Cribbage

This 3-day weekend has begun with a bang!! And there are still two days left of it! Rock on!

Last night, Ann and I took a little road trip up to Merrill, WI for a concert at OTTS Garage. This place is just plain cool... cool look, cool people, even cooler God, just cool! It was definitely the place to be on a Friday night in Merrill too! We saw Survive the Drive and Hyland perform. Good shows, for sure! And we decided that we'd hang out in Merrill again :o)

And then today... it started as a lazy day, in my PJs for lunch. After losing like 8 straight games of pool, I knew that I needed to spice up the day. So, I threw together SFOOG: Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games for the afternoon entertainment. We had team events as well as individual competitions in some lesser known, but professionally played sports. Bo-golf [a combo of Boccie and golf], Biki-ana [Biking + Banana eating], Roof-ball [of course!], breath-holding and cribbage were on the list of events. We took pictures, video and just had a blast together, enjoying the nice weather and each other!

The Roof-ball team competition was especially fierce, but mom and I came out on top!!!

The winners of the Biki-Ana Event - Cody & Dad.

And here's the highlight reel...

Summer nights, do not leave!

In these last two mornings, there has been a chill in the air as my alarm went off. It is likely that the mountains above Innsbruck would be snow-capped after a night like last night. I have not gotten to wear shorts as much as I would have liked to this year. As summer leaves again, I get a little down. There was so much hope of delightful summer days, and it is not that these days did not occur. It is that they did occur and now, they cannot anymore. Or they will not anymore. I believe that is what saddens me -- the farewell to summer days and nights.

Today was an incredibly boring day at work! I spent 6 of the 8 hours trying to look busy. I did learn that to gawk means to stare at something stupidly. I gawked at the amount of time I wasted today at Sentry.

My evening has been spent shopping with Ann and then hanging out at EmyJs with Stephanie and Ann. I'm discovering what it is like to have friends who are my age and live in my town. It is a blessing for sure.

Look forward to pictures of my newest purchases... maybe later tonight.